


Final Flight

by JediLora



Category: Dragonriders of Pern - McCaffrey
Genre: Character Death, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-21
Updated: 2009-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-04 21:58:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JediLora/pseuds/JediLora
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What do you do when you know you're making history?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Final Flight

The dawn on the horizon wasn't quite there yet. The sky struggled to cling to darkness, and three ships shone like stars out in the black.

Down in an upper level of Benden Weyrhold, a young man refilled a basket of glows. As the room brightened, the elderly woman in the bed groaned, moving away from it as best as she could. A blue firelizard trilled his concern, flitting over to the bed and nuzzling at the gnarled, veiny hand that creeps out from under the blanket. The boy flushed, dropping the lid onto the basket, bringing the room into sunset.

"Is that better?"

"Much, thank you."

He nodded, placing the basket back on the hook next to the window overlooking the Hatching Cavern. Taking a seat next to the elderly woman, he reached for her hand. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I'm jumping _between _without a dragon."

"Please don't-the harpers would have a fit trying to explain it."

A wheezy laugh cracked its way out of her throat. "I'd get a song like Moreta or Lessa then, wouldn't I?"

He gripped her hand a little tighter at that. "You'll get songs-you already have some working on it." He shook his head. "Every journeyman harper in the area must be working on one. You'll be someone's Masterwork, wait and see." He winced, realizing what he'd said, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Guess I'd better die at a rhymable time of day then, eh? The last Fall rider, until the next Pass."

He shook his head at that. "There won't be any more Passes-you know that. You were there."

"Ah yes-vaunted AIVAS, may he rest _between_. How long since he went dark, the first casualty of the Last Pass?"

"Several Turns."

"Several Turns. Trying to make me forget my age, youngster?"

"Your dragon still sleeps on the sands outside, so you haven't gone _between _yet."

"Wish they'd let us." She moved a bit, looking out towards the Weyr's bowl.

A firmer shake of the head. "You're a legend now. You flew the last Threadfall, and you're the last one of the last Flight."

"I was a minor outrider for it. Trellanth and I barely flamed any of it. Mostly kept to the edges-ah, but you've heard me complain about this before. Didn't do much for all the fuss." The firelizard flitted to the window's edge and stared down at the green dragon, who wearily lifted her head as she woke to the morning light. The sun began to creep along the horizon. The grey tinge that had been creeping along her hide seemed to grow in the dawning light.

"You say these things, but you're still the last by five Turns."

Her hand spasmed in distress for a moment, then calmed. "Not the last of my generation though. There must be Holders who remember the Last Fall as well as I."  
   
He patted her hand, trying to be reassuring. "There must be some, right. You're just the last who flew it. The last to remind us all why the dragons were needed for so long."

She struggled to pull herself upright a bit, and he moved to help support her. "Threadscore on the mountains, boy, but there's no need to fret over me for that. Harper's job to keep that in mind, not that it's as needed as it once was in any case. Weyrholds, harper dragonriders-we won't be forgotten."

"No, you won't be."

"Now get me up-if it's my time, I'm going to do it right."

“What?”

“Shards of the first Egg, get me up!” She heaved herself up, her breath hitching in her throat from the exertion. He hurried to grab her, trying to push her back down.

“Are you trying to kill yourself?! Stay in bed, rest!”

She smacked out at him, and the blue firelizard tried to divebomb his head. “Rest? For what, the next Pass? Get me up, get me out, and get me on m’girl. We’re going out together for a last run, y’hear me?”

He fended off the blue as he shouted back, “I can’t let you! As your Healer on duty-“

“And a trainee Healer at that. You should learn this lesson now-when a rider decides it’s time, it’s time, boyo.” She got to her feet, clutching at the wall, but on her feet for the first time in months. “One way or another, I’m going _between _today. I’d rather it were on my dragon, like a rider should. You can help me, or I can leave you here with Flicker.”

He hesitated, but when she nearly fell trying to get to the door, he swore under his breath, and moved to support her. “If anyone asks, we’re just going to visit Trellanth. I refuse to help you get tack.”

“Waste of good tack anyway. Going to the black-all I’ll need is a good grip, and I can grip one last time.” She leaned on him, panting. “Thanks, Healer.”

The pair wound their way out towards the sands. Several passerby waved in greeting, some with confusion as to what she was doing, others in acknowledgement of what he was helping with.

At last, they stumbled out onto the sands where the green waited, eyes whirling in concern for her rider. He led the woman over, gave her a leg to stand on to climb onto the neck of her partner. She reached out to cling to the green's neck. "Best step back-if I'm going to fall, best know now." He wavered, clinging to her hand until she was sure and steady. "Let go, Healer. You've done your duty."

He carefully stepped away, letting go of her hand. A wild, fierce smile lit her wrinkled face, and she and Trellanth launched from the bowl. He tilted his head back, arms out reflexively to catch that frail figure if she fell, knowing that it would make no difference, but instincts wanting to help all the same.

“You did right,” said a deep alto voice behind him.

"I know, Masterhealer, but I can't help feel I didn't do enough."

She clapped him on the shoulder and steered him back inside. "I'll get you a mug of klah. You did what some others can't do."

As the sun tipped above the horizon line, its rays limned the pair briefly, and then they were gone. A low keening began all around him, and he knew she had rejoined her Flight.


End file.
